Music instrument manufacturers trying their hands at consumer products isn’t new. Whether it’s Marshall, Orange, or Fender – putting an iconic logo on Bluetooth speaker or a pair of headphones for all non-musicians to proudly wear is just too enticing. The new Zildjian Alchem-E Headphones are a similar endeavor. However, the famed cymbal maker has also included a feature specifically targeted at its core audience – drummers.
Zildjian Alchem-E Headphones: More than your average consumer cans?
Few cymbal brands are as highly regarded as Zildjian is. But the Turkish drum brand is making bold moves this year, quite outside its usual territory. First, they introduced their first e-drum kit – a premium instrument at a premium price. And now come the Zildjian Alchem-E Headphones.
What’s inside these cans? 40-millimeter dynamic drivers, separate EQ settings for each side through the dedicated app, and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity if you use them wirelessly. Zildjian promises a solid 45 hours of battery life when you listen to music wirelessly with ANC activated. Through its app, you can also create custom EQ curves.
The over-ears offer a 15-meter range, have built-in SBC and AAC audio codecs, and can be charged through a USB-C connection. A 1.8-meter (6 ft.) audio cable is included if you want to use the headphones through a wired connection.
Two levels of ANC: Standard and Half
Speaking of active noise-cancelling, Zildjian has added a second mode that is specifically targeted at drummers, besides the standard mode – a drum transparency mode, so to say. The so-called “half” mode supposedly lets the sounds of a drum kit through but blocks all other noises. The drum sounds are still lowered by as much as 50 percent.
Just be aware, though, that this special ANC mode seems only to work when you use the Zildjian Alchem-E Headphones wirelessly. According to its specs, this results in a hefty 180-millisecond latency when connected to a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. That does not matter if you just play along to your favorite songs via Spotify or YouTube. But if you’re in a recording situation where latency is critical, and the headphones are connected through the audio cable, ANC will likely not be available.
The very classy-looking headphones are available in three color variants: Black, Midnight, and Sandstorm. In addition to the cans, a soft silicone carry case, the aforementioned audio cable, a 3.5mm-to-6.3mm adapter, and a USB-C cable to charge the headphones are included.
How much do the Zildjian Alchem-E Headphones cost?
Zildjian Alchem-E Headphones are available at Thomann* for $368.00 / £333.00 / €398.00
More on Zildjian’s new headphones
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